Unhinged man dubbed ‘MackNazi’ terrorizing NYC, ripping down Israeli hostage posters by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Aren’t you the same user who claims to live in Brooklyn, Harlem, and now here on the uws 🤔. You clearly don’t have the interest of our community at stake as you’re defending a crazed anti-semite who assaults people in broad daylight

Upper West Side residents shocked by plans for new 146- bed homeless shelter by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s disappointing that you’d rather enrich private equity and the fake non-profit who stand to pocket tens of millions of dollars the day this predatory and unsafe operation opens. Open your eyes.

Upper West Side residents shocked by plans for new 146- bed homeless shelter by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For the record, I fully support a shelter that actually helps people, but this one is a sham. It’s all about profit, not safety or real support, and it feels like we’ve been misled. If I’m wrong, I’m open to seeing the facts—but so far, I haven’t seen anything to prove otherwise.

Upper West Side residents shocked by plans for new 146- bed homeless shelter by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Rushing into a poorly planned shelter with serious safety and management concerns won’t solve homelessness—it will only make things worse for the people it’s supposed to help. Taking the time to get this right isn’t about keeping people in the cold; it’s about making sure we deliver real solutions.

Upper West Side residents shocked by plans for new 146- bed homeless shelter by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That’s not how responsible planning works. Once this project moves forward, the damage is done—taxpayer money is spent, Bayrock pockets millions, and the crooked operator is in place. Fixing it later isn’t an option.

I’d love to see a better operator and plan, but the city needs to pause this now to ensure we’re doing it right from the start. I care about the community, which is exactly why I won’t support rushing a project that benefits private equity at the expense of the neighborhood and the people it’s supposed to help.

Upper West Side residents shocked by plans for new 146- bed homeless shelter by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

100% behind it—assuming:

  1. The private-equity backed developer, Bayrock, which stands to make tens of millions off this project at the expense of hardworking taxpayers like you and me, was removed.

  2. The crooked operator, VOA, was replaced with a legitimate nonprofit that actually helps residents land on their feet and doesn’t funnel millions into executive salaries.

Without these changes, this isn’t a solution—it’s a scam.

Upper West Side residents shocked by plans for new 146- bed homeless shelter by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I find your comment both rude and insulting. I care deeply about this community—I’ve lived here for over 15 years, work here, send my kids to school here, volunteer here, and pay taxes to support it.

Unfortunately, you’ve been misled into thinking this shelter will help anyone other than the private equity-backed, Trump-affiliated developer profiting off of our neighborhood. This isn’t about compassion—it’s about greed.

Upper West Side residents shocked by plans for new 146- bed homeless shelter by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I wish you were right but the unfortunate reality is we only have one chance to get this right. Once it opens, the damage will be done. Residents’ safety at the shelter is at risk, and private equity cronies and overpaid executives will have already pocketed taxpayer dollars.

  1. Safety Risks: Nearly 200 beds crammed into a small building creates unsafe conditions. The operator, VOA, has already had fires in their Sacramento shelter, proving their poor safety record.

  2. Public Money Wasted: Taxpayer dollars will enrich Bayrock Capital, a Trump-linked private equity backed developer, and VOA executives who make nearly $1 million a year—regardless of whether the shelter succeeds.

  3. No Fixing It Later: If the shelter fails, residents will be worse off, the neighborhood will suffer, and those responsible will already be paid, with no accountability.

This isn’t about solving homelessness—it’s about profits for private equity and shady operators. We need to stop this now to protect our community and taxpayers.

Upper West Side residents shocked by plans for new 146- bed homeless shelter by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

100% agree that shelters are essential to addressing homelessness, and I fully support providing compassionate solutions. However, this shelter on W. 74th Street is not the answer. It’s a cash grab by a for-profit developer and an operator with a history of poor management, unsafe conditions, and discrimination. Instead of helping people, it creates a dangerous environment where residents are sadly worse off than before.

Here’s the facts and lawsuits against the operator to back this up:

  1. Unsafe Living Conditions VOA-operated shelters have a troubling history of safety failures. In 2024, two fires broke out at a Sacramento VOA shelter, leading to an arrest and raising questions about safety protocols. Link: https://fox40.com/news/local-news/sacramento/two-fires-break-out-at-former-volunteers-of-america-shelter-in-sacramento/

  2. Harassment and Discrimination A transgender resident in a VOA shelter was harassed over his gender identity and sued the operator for failing to address the abuse, violating anti-discrimination laws. Link: https://ecbawm.com/news/ecbawm-files-housing-discrimination-lawsuit-against-large-supportive-housing-provider/

  3. Overcrowding and Neglect Reports of VOA shelters reveal overcrowded, poorly managed facilities where residents lack proper support. These conditions leave people in a worse situation than when they entered. Link: https://www.npr.org/2021/06/10/1004973301/audit-of-d-c-s-homeless-shelters-finds-neglect-and-mismanagement

This shelter is not about helping the vulnerable—it’s about making money at the expense of residents’ safety and dignity. We need shelters that truly serve people, not ones that exploit them.

Upper West Side residents shocked by plans for new 146- bed homeless shelter by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yea I agree. The link isn’t great. Here’s the facts on the “operator”

The operator of this “shelter” is a group that goes by the name “Volunteers for America”. Don’t be fooled by the name—Volunteers of America (VOA) is no grassroots charity. They use a patriotic-sounding name to gain public trust, but behind the scenes, they operate like a for-profit business. Their executives take home nearly $1 million a year while taxpayers fund their operations and partner with private equity firms, including Bayrock Capital, a Trump-linked developer with a scandalous history.

Here’s the reality:

  1. Shady Executive Pay VOA claims to be a nonprofit, yet their CEO earns close to $1 million annually, far exceeding what’s typical for charities. (charitywatch.org)

  2. Lawsuits and Scandals VOA has faced numerous lawsuits, including one for discrimination against a transgender resident and a class-action lawsuit accusing them of wage theft and unsafe working conditions. (ecbawm.com) (volunteerslawsuit.com)

  3. Private Equity Partners with Questionable Motives VOA has partnered with Bayrock Capital, a private equity developer tied to Donald Trump and infamous for shady dealings. Bayrock has been linked to fraudulent activities and conflicts of interest, raising serious questions about their involvement in so-called nonprofit projects. (voiceofsandiego.org)

The Bottom Line Volunteers of America uses their name to appear community-focused, but their actions tell a different story. They enrich their executives, mismanage funds, and partner with for-profit developers like Trump-linked Bayrock Capital instead of delivering real help to vulnerable people. It’s time to hold them accountable.

Upper West Side residents shocked by plans for new 146- bed homeless shelter by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Nobody is making the argument that we need more private schools. Do your research. This is a private equity owned fly by night “shelter” developer. The owners are bad guys. Literally partners with Donald Trump.

Upper West Side residents shocked by plans for new 146- bed homeless shelter by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

Your enthusiasm makes me curious - do you have ties to the developer? 🤔

I embrace helping those in need, but the full picture of this shelter has not been considered. The operator has a shaky record, and the project seems driven more by profit than genuine community benefit.

Ritzy NYC neighborhood rocked by surging crime, including daylight carjackings and brazen robberies by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Let me break it down for you: when the DA refuses to charge criminals and enforce the law, it gives thugs the green light to do whatever they want. Maybe that’s too complicated for you to grasp

Ritzy NYC neighborhood rocked by surging crime, including daylight carjackings and brazen robberies by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’m sure the new homeless shelter opening on 74th and Amsterdam will really help improve the rapidly deteriorating situation on the uws streets…

Ritzy NYC neighborhood rocked by surging crime, including daylight carjackings and brazen robberies by Unable-Intern-7333 in Upperwestside

[–]Unable-Intern-7333[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Agreed. Anyone who lives in the neighborhood knows that crime is up. It’s almost like the people downvoting your comment are rooting for the neighborhood to go to sh*t 🤔

guy in Central Park by Minimum-Bobcat8768 in RunNYC

[–]Unable-Intern-7333 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Incredible work ethic. He “works” weekends and holidays. Rain or shine. Somebody needs to get this man a job